Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-05-18
ITALl'> DEAD KING.
A CHANCE VISIT TO THE ETERNAL
CITY RECALLED

Stl htCHLltU.
Victor Ems,anu-I stricken by "a Mortal
Dis-a>e-Th- Coming of Gsrihaidi
Fauitle~- Features Refined by suffer
ing-Th- King. Funeral.
Ii was bV an odd series Of chances that
! fOurd myself in Rome IN tine early
spring of the year 1879. the most eveutiul
year foI the eternal city since that season,
when Victor Emmanuel ard his COurt
came 10 take UP their abode III NJ place Of
the taSarS. W hat a time Of excitement IL
was! II Re Gallant Imo lay dying at
the purnal At the vatican his old en-
emy, Plus IN. was stricken, too. hy q
mortal disease The king. always u good
Catholic. il was said had sent 10 ask the
hOly father for his blessing, and all Rome
held its breath and waited. Would the
head of the fallen power forgive his vie
toriuus enemy, now that both We're 50
soon to yield 10 the universal conqucrers
Would the great soldier and the good
and gentle priest. who had wagcd such
bitter war. die al peace with one
another, Messenger after messenger
was dispatched from the chamber of
death On Quirinal hill To the sick room Of
the prisoner of the vatican They all
came back silent, till at last one hnmble
monk. who had prayed long beside the
dying king, WAS sent. and came back
bringing with him a promise Of peace. Ii
was not the King. Victor Emanuel who
asked forgiveness for his heroic life. for
his glorious aCtiOn-the freeing Df Italy
but il was the man. human and faulty
asking apsolution at the hands Of the high
priest ot his religion. All this may be
history, il may be fable: | cannot vouCh
for it: but il was what WAS said. whis-
pered rather, AT every street corner in
Rome. The city was shaken 10 its founda-
tiun; the heart of the people was stirred Ia
its mmost depth Even the indifferent
foreign colonies Of eSpatriated English
and Americans were swayed by the ire
mendous passion of the moment. The
kings hour came. The great captain
passed away, and the city sat and
mourned in sackcloth and ashes. 4
great wall went up from the party of the
whites, and even the blacks We're magnan-
imous and silent. They. too, We're soon
to lose the good man who had SO long
stood at their head.
4 COMPANION IN AIMS.
Italy muurned her fallen hero; but.
when the time had come 10 lay away what
was mortal of the beloved son. she rose
and clad herself in garments of somber
splendor. and made for him Il funeral the
like Of which the world has not often
seen. II was rumored that his old leuten-
ant. Carihaldi. was coming from rocky
Caprera TO take part in the obsequies
The estrangement between the two of
later year>-it had never been Of the
heart buI uf The head-was utterly for
gotten. will Ne. forgotten in history, and
Gsyibaldi who had sci the crown Of Italy
upon the head ui Victor Emmanuel. was
coming To look once more upon the face
of his old companion in arms This was
whispered on the Curso. but few people
gave rredence to the rumor. II was said
that Garihaldi would never walk or stand
again. He. too. was laid low by a griev-
Gus Illness. and his death could not he far
of.
II was by a very singular series of
chances that | happened fn 20 on thar soft
afternoon, when the air was full of the
whispers Of the spring. up to the great
railroad station somewhere in the new
part Of the city. Some friends We're going
to meet Young lady who was about to
arrive On all incoming train. As we drew
near the depot We found il surrounded by
a dense mass Of humanity. Policemen
and soldiers We're Oh every side 10 main
tain an order which no one seemed in the
least inclined to disturb 1t was Il very
quiet, serious faced crowd, and no one
laughed or JeSted. For more than a week
in all that great city ! never heard a
laugh. We asked sn officer Of the Ber-
crlieri. who Stood near us what the people
We're all waiting for. some people say"
lie answered. that Garibaldi is 10 arrive
on the train which is now due, but who
can tell, They have been waiting for him
Tor two days past, and looking for him on
every train. We decided to wait until
the train should arrive. and a place was
made for me on Il step inside some rail
ings, where | stood a better chance Of
keeping little breath in my body. Those
who We're nearest cau-ht the roar "f the
incoming locomotive, and the tidiugs
spread that the train had arrived. A
shiver Of excitement shook the crowd,
which stirred and swayed and then stood
silent again and waited. All eyes We're
fixed on the impaSsiye front of the great
stone station. 4 man, who must have
been d sailor. had clambered high up to
place from which he could command a
view of the station. He it was who had
announced the coming of the train 1t
overlook the heads of the people and who
cried aloud, in Il hoarSe whisper: He has
come